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Off sick today and browsing the site, I saw the review of the ECR on the front page and it got me thinking about why I like my Surlys so much.
No nonsense frames/bikes, built to last, plenty of mud clearance (which is great and unusual from a US company), and a forward thinking attitude to design, but also they stick with what works and don't chop and change models every season like some brands.
Post some pics of yours and why you like them 🙂
Snow Krampus...
Big day out Krampus...
Instigator 1.0 (an oldie but a goodie!)...
ecr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1817/42984833591_dceaee9153_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1817/42984833591_dceaee9153_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/28uqvsx ]2018-06-24_05-22-41[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
ogre[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/36200283975_9a3fff7325_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/36200283975_9a3fff7325_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/X9TVea ]2017-07-27_03-33-36[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
disc trucker
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5542/30312571524_4e006beeb7_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5542/30312571524_4e006beeb7_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/NbBRrw ]2016-11-20_02-53-04[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
disc trucker 2
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/468/18672613046_02b35df383_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/us32jf ]cidImage_FOT38B5.JPG" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/468/18672613046_02b35df383_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/us32jf ]cidImage_FOT38B5.JPG"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
k monkey
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/16214306506_a77faa9019_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qGNyqJ ]cidImage_FOTA19.JPG" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/16214306506_a77faa9019_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qGNyqJ ]cidImage_FOTA19.JPG"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
posting image fail
go on then....how do I post instagram photos.
We are big fans of Surly. Both Mrs Mugsy and I have an Ogre each.
Mine is singlespeed and used for mtb and heavily laden family camping touring.
Hers does the same touring, has done the TNR twice and the French Divide this year.
I also have a Steamroller and did Chilkoot's Born to Ride on it this year (1200km in 95 hours) as well as several other big day/ 2 day rides.
I can't work out why I like riding this bike so much. It's not vastly different from other bikes I have in many respects, it weighs a ton, but it's just sooo nice to ride and so much fun 😁
Not sure there is that much love. My ICT frame/forks has been listed in the classifieds a few times with no interest 🙂
It was a great bike though. My first fatbike and still one of the most fun bikes I've ridden.
Despite having a rather flash carbon full-susser, my SS Cross Check is by far my most ridden bike, makes me question all the dosh i've spent on bikes over the years
Edit - rather taken by the new Karate Monkey, toyed with getting rid of my rarely ridden full susser to make way for one
I was out on the Cross Check the other day. It is now a flat bar, alfine 8 vehicle and felt very much like a mountain bike from the early nineties but with bigger wheels. It was a bit underwhelming and I'm considering selling it as I think I prefer early nineties mountain bikes.
Still, it is versatile but I can never decide on the perfect build for it, or none of the builds are perfect, not sure which. I think it was better a s single speed, so I might convert it back to that.
Still, it is versatile but I can never decide on the perfect build for it, or none of the builds are perfect, not sure which. I think it was better a s single speed, so I might convert it back to that.
Had gears on mine, much prefer it SS, with riser bars flat pedals and comfy grips, perfect for hooning around town / shopping / pub / taking in the views on a road ride
captain_bastard
...makes me question all the dosh i’ve spent on bikes over the years
That about nails it. It also applies to some On-Ones IMO.
I've had an Instigator which I got when I lived in Australia, I built it up for a 1,200 km overland ride, completely off piste. I needed a frame strong enough to carry an enormous load of water. I sold the frame about 5 years ago. Probably to someone here.
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I've got a 1998 RatRide 1x1 (Surly ancestor) which never ceases to amaze me with its versatility. Which reminds me, it should have a 20th birthday party - might buy it a new chain. 🙂
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And a Pugsley in the unlovely Babyshit yellow colour. Fortunately it is usually covered in mud.
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They're proper bikes. 🙂
Despite having a rather flash carbon full-susser, my SS Cross Check is by far my most ridden bike, makes me question all the dosh i’ve spent on bikes over the years
Similar things over here. I picked up a cheap Genesis CDF frame last year and built it into a simple single speed flat bar (well, weird Mary bar) cross bike to play and generally get around on. Found myself picking it up in preference to my MTB quite frequently. Liked it so much that it eventually got promoted to be my geared road/gravel bike, but I think I had more fun on it before...
Back to the point, I've never had a Surly but would love a KM...
I quite like Surly. My current fleet include 2 x 1x1. 2 x KM, 1 x Pugsley, 1 x Krampus...
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Another Surly fan here, owning a KM Ops and my favourite Surly, a Pugs.
I love mine!😉
https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/long-termer-surly-ice-cream-truck-part-3/
Some more pics and ramblings!😁
not owned but ridden a karate monkey several times. Absolutely loved it, great bike especially with some bigger rubber.
I miss my karate monkey. The only bike I regret selling (twice)
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while this is fresh in peoples minds, i am on the look out for a xl disc trucker frame.
cheers.
My Disc Trucker is my favourite ever bike.
It's pretty much perfect - versatile, carries as much as you could want, is beautifully designed and built plus it makes me laugh.
That and a 1*1 would make a pretty fine combo, tbh.
I'd decided to buy a Karate Monkey OPS but then Charlie TBM upsold me to a Salsa El Mariachi. Glad he did tbh - not that the KM would have been bad mind.
i love me both pussies
I've had a few Surly's over the years; had a Steamroller for about a year, which I regret selling, as that was a hugely capable frame. Had a Crosscheck for a while, but not so taken with that, very versatile, but unnecessarily heavy IMO and I couldn't really get on with the geometry.
My favourite by far though is my KM. I've had that for 6 years now, it's one of the transition year models that had the dropped toptube and gusset but still with canti bosses. I keep looking at newer bikes to replace it, until I go out on it again and fall in love all over again. 29+ on the front and with ECR forks just works so nicely.
Nope, Image posting not working
Yes it (image posting) is!
Surly Wednesday on the left with my Puffin on the right
Can think of a few small niggles with my XXL ICT (slightly lower toptube, taller headtube), but either in fully rigid full fat winter mode, or 29+ mode (currently its shod with a DHF up front and DW rear - awesome!), it is by far my most ridden bike.
Really quite a special love for it, even now that I drilled a hole in the frame for a stealth dropper. Poor thing!
I will ride it till it falls apart, which may well be a long time!
https://flic.kr/p/2c2cdKz
2018 model karate monkey.
Alpkit custom frame bag, surly knard 29x3.0 tyres on hope tech enduro wheels.
Great bike to ride.
Much lighter than you might expect, although my other bike is an ebike, which is probably recalibrating my arms.
I’ve done a few overnight trips on it, superb.
Next on my list is a coast to coast from Annan (where I used to live) to the forth bridge (where I currently live)
It just does everything.
while this is fresh in peoples minds, i am on the look out for a xl disc trucker frame.
cheers.
Hmm. I have a 62cm one in red, in great condition. I actually use it a fair bit but I've got three road/cross/tour type bikes with a bit too much overlap between them, so part of me had been contemplating replacing one of them with something like a Straggler or a Day One as a singlespeed. If you're prepared for a lot of umming and ahhing before I come to any conclusion, feel free to drop me a PM 🙂
Every time I think about selling my KM OPS I then see comments from people who sold a KM and regretted it!
Talk to me @big_scot_nanny 🙂
One of the reasons for putting my ICT frame up for sale was the limited options for fitting a 150mm dropper. So, I'd be interested to hear how you routed yours.
Also:
What is clearance like for 29+ on the rear?
Where did you get your wheels and what rims are you using?
With my usual fantastic timing I've just sold my Bluto, but I guess there are better options for a 29+ fork anyway.
I've been 29+ curious for a while but wasn't sure it would really work with the ICT. I don't need masses of grip at the back. I'm happy running JJs on the rear even in winter, as long as I have something nice and sticky up front (currently a Bud).
@ YoKaiser - one of my fav Pugs of all time.
YoKaiser
The Pug...
It's sooooo clean. Mine is a mud magnet. 🙂
Surly Straggler here. My only bike. Purchased second hand. Set up with H bar and 1x10 29er. Bought as a stop gap to keep me pedalling as circumstances didn't allow for me to have a lot of money invested into a bike. Found now though that I have no need to buy another. Anything I do on it it just gets on with it. Honestly no niggles and no desire to replace it.
I don't have a surly, but I do like steel bikes and both my MTBs are rigid
I think there is something to be said for a simple MTB, without all the faffing about it's just a simple tool for the job and makes me enjoy it more for some reason
Surly Straggler here. My only bike. Purchased second hand. Set up with H bar and 1×10 29er. Bought as a stop gap to keep me pedalling as circumstances didn’t allow for me to have a lot of money invested into a bike. Found now though that I have no need to buy another. Anything I do on it it just gets on with it. Honestly no niggles and no desire to
If I was going to have only one bike, that's almost exactly what I'd have
Surly Straggler here. My only bike. Purchased second hand. Set up with H bar and 1×10 29er.
Yeah I can see something like that in my life!
I purchased my km from bregante and regret selling it on as well.
I still have some 1cm monkey nuts if anyone wants some. No use to me now.
For those that have sold a KM and regret it, what is it that you miss the most?
Pleassssseee help me post instagram photos!!! I want to share my best mates.
Back to the point, I’ve never had a Surly but would love a KM…
I’d love an Ops in the spray tan colour as my main bike. Just looks so nice.
out of the 9 surly bikes i have owned, the most versatile was the ogre.
good for touring, and ok offroad too.
sold it to a family friend and it was stolen whilst he was away touring in denmark.
Summer Monkey
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Been on the lookout for a Krampus for months, no ones seems to be selling, not second hand complete versions anyway.
Love my Wednesday. Perfect tool for winter riding
Love my Ogre...
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/932/42714147805_591359a459.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/932/42714147805_591359a459.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/285vb1e ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896@N06/ ]Richard Picton[/url], on Flickr
Mrs Pickers loves her 42cm Pacer...
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8721/16707658824_c8a4537ef5.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8721/16707658824_c8a4537ef5.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rsp7Tb ]P1020157[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896@N06/ ]Richard Picton[/url], on Flickr
Normal Man
For those that have sold a KM and regret it, what is it that you miss the most?
Well for me that bike was simple (single speed), ran faultlessley and the geometry just planted you nicely. Not too stretched, just like a modern old school bike. Or for us oldies, like a modern rigid kona from the 90s.
Also had a tonne of clearance so even 2.5 up front and 2.4 rear, could ride it all winter in slop. It weighed a lot and it didn't really feel springy but it got up to speed fairly effortlessly and stayed there if you had the skills to ride it out.
I seem to have a bit of a thing going for an ECR. I like the look of it, I like the idea of the kind of riding it would seem to excel at. What I can't seem to do is reconcile the price as an N+1 that i might grow to love. I worry that it will be too heavy and numb and therefore fall into the naughty corner of the shed with the other good ideas that didn't work out.